How has loss of biodiversity impacted on humans?
Mass extinctions of plants and animals could have a severe impact on the living standards of the poorest people on the planet and cost up to 40bn a year, the first major report into the economic impact of biodiversity loss has found.Global GDP could decline by 7 per cent by 2050 if ecosystem decline isn’t tackled, according to the study, unveiled at the United Nations’ talks on biological diversity in Bonn yesterday.Scientists say biodiversity is facing its greatest threat in millions of years, with three species dying out every hour. Now, the economic cost of such destruction has been assessed.The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (Teeb) review analyses the financial impact of the loss of natural life. It is hoped that, like the Stern Review of Climate Change, which revolutionised the way countries looked at the economics of global warming, this report will galvanise government support for tackling the problem. Mankind is causing almost 40bn-worth of damage to land ecosystems e
